House of the Programmers
by WillowEchoRiver
Summary: Sequel to 'House of the Month! Topher's now in D.C. to assist Bennett while she trains a new programmer. They're both all excitement, but maybe things won't run as smoothly as they hoped. Rated K Plus for some violence. Chapter Seven up!
1. Chapter One

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! This is a sequel to 'House of the Month' so, if your reading this and you haven't read that one....You should :) Please review! Thanks for reading, guys!**

Disclaimer: Don't own Dollhouse. Don't remind me. :)

**Chapter One,**

**Washington D.C.**

"Miss Halverson, we want you to train a new programmer, he's coming in a couple of days. But we want to bring in a programmer from another house while you train him, so that you don't get behind on other work."

"A new programmer?" She asked, surprised.

"Yes," Her boss replied, nodding. "Like I said, I'm trying to contact someone from another house so that while you train the new programmer there can be another programmer to do the work you get behind on. I'm thinking about contacting the Chicago house--"

"No!--I mean," She cleared her throat. "Sir, if you don't mind, I was hoping we could contact the L.A. house instead? I trust their programmer." She said, hopefully.

He considered it for a moment, "I suppose that's fine, I'll contact Miss Dewitt, then."

"Yes, sir, thank you sir." She said, smiling and jumping to her feet, but then paused. "When does the other programmer arrive? And who is he?"

"His name is James Stephenson. He's young, but a genius.--Not so much as you, I'll admit, but that's why we want you training him. He'll arrive the day after tomorrow. And hopefully, we can get Mr. Brink to come by tomorrow morning."

**Los Angeles**, **California**,

"You don't have any objections, I suppose?" Adelle asked Topher, with an amused look on her face.

"No, no! Of course not. Sounds perfect." He said, excitedly.

"Do you think Ivy can handle your job for a while? Who knows how long they want you for." Adelle said, shaking her head.

"Ivy will be fine, and if she needs me she can just program one of the dolls as me." Topher said, "Come on! Please? Let me go?" He pleaded, in a rather childish way.

"I suppose I have no other objections." Adelle decided, "Go pack up your things, they want you there by tomorrow morning, and it's a long flight."

**Washington D.C. **

"So, whose coming, Ben?" One of the handlers, David Quinn, asked her.

"Topher Brink and James Stephenson." Bennett said, without turning to look at the man. She busily typed away in front of the computer screen.

"Topher Brink? Isn't he the L.A. programmer? The one who hit you?" Quinn asked her, raising his eyebrows.

"He isn't abusive, Quinn, he's not like you." Bennett said, rolling her eyes.

"Abusive? Why would you call me that? I've never hurt you." He objected.

"Leave me alone." Bennett said, sighing.

"He doesn't deserve you. Guys like that don't deserve you, Ben."

"You've never even met him, how should you know?" Bennett argued. She was so sick of David Quinn.

"He hit you."

"He was protecting his active. I would have done the same thing." Bennett argued.

"So he chose his active over you?" Quinn asked, tilting his head sideways a bit.

"That's not how it was. Can you go away now, please? I'm busy." Bennett said, hoping he'd leave.

"Anything for you, Ben." He said, shrugging and leaving. With an amused smirk on his face.

**  
The Next Day,  
**

Bennett check her appearance once more before sitting down, and waiting not-so-patiently for Topher to arrive. She glanced at her watch. _Two minutes late._ It felt more like two hours. She could hardly stand the wait. She got to her feet and began to pace back and forth, suddenly there was a _ding_ and the elevator doors opened. She looked over, a smile spreading across her face. "Topher..." She said, smiling at him.

"Bennett!" He said, with a grin, stepping off the elevator.

There was a moment where they stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do. After a moment though, a smile broke out again across both of their faces, and they hugged.

"I missed you." She told him, with a smile. "I'm glad you could come."

"Me too." He said, cheerfully. He looked around and then sniffed slightly. "I like the way it smells here, I don't know what you were complaining about." He said, nudging her in the arm.

She blushed a little, "I just...Oh you know." She turned around. "Want something to drink?" She offered, leading him to a small kitchen area.

"Sure. Thanks." He said, cheerfully.

Bennett got him something to drink and smiled at him. "You look well, how have you been?"

"Okay. Doing so much better now." He said, grinning at her. "I forgot how gorgeous you are." He said, causing Bennett to blush once more.

"How could you forget?" Came a voice from the doorway.

"Go _away_, Quinn." Bennett groaned.

"I just wanted to meet your guest." He objected, coming over and looking skeptically at Topher. "Hmm. Your Topher Brink, huh?" He asked him.

"Um. Yes." Topher said, feeling a little uncomfortable. Who was this guy? Whoever he was, he probably wasn't that great. Because Bennett appeared to hate him.

Quinn looked at Topher for a moment, then extended his hand. "David Quinn."

"Nice to..Er...Meet you." Topher said, "If you don't mind me asking though, um, what do you do here? Are you the new programmer?"

"No. I'm a handler." He explained.

"Ohhh, okay."

Later, when Quinn was gone, Topher glanced at Bennett. "So, what's up with him?"

"I can't stand the sight of that man. He can't take no for an answer." Bennett said, sounding annoyed at the very mention of him.

"You mean...Like...He wants _you_? _That_ kind of 'he can't take no for an answer' ?" Topher asked, suddenly very annoyed at the man as well.

"Something like that, I suppose." Bennett said, but then changed the subject. "Let's not talk about that, I'm just glad your here."

"To save you from creeps like that?"

"Exactly." She grinned at him.


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Thanks for reading my sequel! You all make me so happy! Please continue to review! Cause reviews like, are the highlights of my days! I'm pretty excited about this new Fanfic! I've got lots of interesting stuff planned, the problem is that most of them have to wait till we get a little more into the Fanfiction. So bear with me through a few chapters that are a little bit slow, cause I have exciting plans! Reviews are loved! **

**Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure we've covered that I don't own Dollhouse, but here, I'll remind you **

**Chapter Two,**

"I'm supposed to go with them to get Mr. Stephenson from the airport, want to come along?" Bennett asked Topher, with a smile.

"How could I refuse?" He said cheerfully.

"You can't, really." She grinned.

**At the Airport**,

Mr. Stephenson would be arriving in a private jet, so they would immediately know who he was. They were waiting patiently. Bennett was feeling much calmer then she had the day before, when something like this normally would have worried her. But she had Topher to keep her company, so she couldn't complain. Besides, it was a wonderful excuse to get away from Quinn. She was very, very sick of him. And just wanted to be left alone. He freaked her out a little bit, not that she'd ever admit she was frightened of him.

Before long the small plane landed. It was a small, but fancy jet, with the name _Rossum_ painted in shiny black letters on the side of it. As soon as the doors opened and stairs were let down, a group of people stepped down the stairs. Mostly men in suits, and she wondered which one would be their new programmer.

Bennett and Topher were both in for a very big surprise, however, about the new programmer.

The group of men came forward, leading a young boy, about seven years old, with freckles and red hair.

Bennett looked at them with complete confusion.

"Bennett Halverson? And you must be Topher Brink." One of the men said, shaking each ones hand in turn.

"Are you James Stephenson?" Bennett asked the man.

"Oh no." He laughed, "_This_ is James Stephenson." He said, motioning to the child.

"Um, excuse me?" Bennett asked, raising her eyebrows. "This is our new programmer?" She lowered her voice, "But he can't be more then seven years old!" She said.

The little boy cleared his throat. "Almost eight!" He defended, annoyed.

"He's also a genius." The man explained, "You'll see."

"I'm sure we will..." Bennett said, she eyed the child doubtfully though. "When I was told James Stephenson was a young, I didn't think they meant a child." She whispered to Topher, who appeared very surprised as well.

"Well, alright James." She said, sighing. She still looked very doubtful. "I guess we better get going."

"Whys your arm in a cast?" James asked eagerly.

"Hey! Little man! That's a pretty cool jet, isn't it?" Topher asked, changing the subject quickly.

The boy nodded, and excitedly launched into an explenation about how he was sure he had the whole system figured out. Impressive indeed.

**At the Dollhouse,**

"When you told me I was going to train a new programmer, I didn't think that you meant a child!" Bennett said, frustrated.

"He's a child, but he's also a genius. He has great potential under your care." Mr. Lipmen, the head of the D.C. house, told Bennett. "Don't write off the child yet."

"I'm not _writing_ him off, but I won't train him." Bennett objected.

"Excuse me? And how is that not writing him off?"

"Because, I'm sure he's a genius, but I don't care! I'm not..." She broke off, struggling to find the right words. "I don't want a child forced to do something so...Morally questionable. He's just a kid."

"Miss Halverson, your doing the kid a favor. He's an orphan, and we're providing him with money so that he can get a good education as soon as he's finished here, and are giving him the opportunity to have a job for as long as he could want one. He'll be able to retire at an early age, rich and happy."

"You really think that's what's going to happen? You think the kid is going to come away from this totally unafected?" Bennett asked, disbelievingly.

"James is perfectly eager--"

"That's because he's a kid! He doesn't know that this is..." Bennett broke off.

"Is it wrong, Miss Halverson?"

"It's..." She couldn't finish, the mental struggle was written all over her face. The moral war that was constantly raging inside her mind.

Mr. Lipmen took a step forward, a look of venom on his face. "I suggest you be very careful, Miss Halverson, because as soon as you question the moral integrity of what you do, you question the very core of yourself."

Bennett turned to the door, finished arguing, and ready to leave the room.

"Someone willing to torture a mindless doll shouldn't question anyone's morals. Especially not her own." Mr. Lipmen called from behind her.

Bennett's hand trembled as she put it on the doorknob, but her voice was firm as she said. "Good day, Mr. Lipmen."

A while later, Bennett stepped into her lab, to find both Topher and James sitting in front of the computer playing a video game. After a moment, they stopped and high fived. "Way to go man! Impressive!" Topher told James, grinning. Then he glanced up at Bennett. "Me and James are pretty good buds." He explained, cheerfully.

Bennett wished she could return his smile.


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dollhouse. :)**

**Chapter Three,**

"Can I program an imprint?" James asked Bennett eagerly.

"Not yet." Bennett said, shaking her head.

"But I know how!" James argued. She hadn't let him even assist with an imprint in the past two days, and he knew completely well how to do it.

Bennett was trying to protect the child from having to do this...He was so innocent, and yet he thought that programming an imprint was what he wanted to do. She knew she couldn't stop him forever, but it was hard to train a child in something she thought might just be wrong. In her opinion, to make a child partake of something wicked was the very core of cruelty, even if the child thought that's what he wanted.

James folded his arms and pouted, "You won't ever let me. Topher would let me if I asked." He said, still pouting.

"Yes, well, Topher's here to assist me. Which makes me in charge of him, and he's not in charge of you. Understand?" She said, though she said it very gently.

"But I want to do an imprint!" James argued.

Bennett knew she couldn't keep James from working for forever, but maybe she could start him out with the little things. Put off making him use the chair. "I"ll teach you some stuff today, but your gonna have to earn the right for the imprints, okay, James?" She said, smiling gently at him. Though feeling angry at her superiors for doing this to the poor kid.

"Oh okay." He said, pouting a little still, but not quite so much as before.

"Do you want to start to work now?" Bennett offered.

James grinned slightly, while looking at the ground shyly. "I told Topher I would play a game with him. Five minutes?"

"I'll even give you ten, if you want." She said, a little amused.

"Really?" He asked eagerly.

"Only because I approve of your choice in friends." She teased.

James wrinkled his nose a little. "Yuck. You two better not get all mushy!" He said, before grinning and running off.

Bennett couldn't help but smile as James ran off. It had only been a couple days, but she was very fond of the child. He was a genius. And yet, he was still just a kid. A very endearing little child.

She turned from the door of the lab to look at the computer screen, returning to her work.

"Cute kid." Quinn said, from right behind her.

She jumped, startled. "What do you want?" She asked him, impatiently. "I'm trying to work."

"Come on, Ben, why do you act like you hate me so much?" Quinn said, grinning at her.

"I don't know, maybe because I do hate you?" She said, annoyance written all over her face. "I'm not interested, Quinn."

"Why, just because I'm not smart enough?"

"You want to know why?" Bennett asked, sounding angry. "Because, your a selfish, arrogant jerk, who can't take no for an answer, won't ever leave me alone, and gets in my space _all the time_. So go away!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Quinn said, looking amused. "Strong words there, Ben." He said, "But I don't think you mean it."

Bennett glared at him, "What kind of behavior do you see in me that could make you possibly think I want you around at all? Your disgusting!"

"See that's just it. You act like you hate me, and granted, your a good actress. But how could you? All I ever do is nice stuff for you, compliment you, give you attention. And I'm attractive, though I try not to bring that up. But how could you possibly hate me? You can't. So I don't believe you."

"Bennett, is he bothering you?" Topher asked from the doorway, sounding angry.

"I was just leaving," Quinn said, looking amused and brushing past Topher.

"Are you okay?" Topher asked Bennett, gently.

"Yeah, I'm fine, he was just being obnoxious...Thanks." She gave Topher a small smile.

**Author's Note: Ahhhh! It hurts me just to put this chapter up! I'm sorry, it was short and lame...You just had to deal with Quinn without anything to make up for it. Sorry for the filler chapter, I hope you didn't hate it too much, the next one is gonna be a bit more interesting :) Thankfully.**


	4. Chapter Four

**Author's Note: Hey guys! The last chapter was painful to me, hopefully this one will be a little better! :)**

Disclaimer: Still don't own Dollhouse.  
  
**Chapter Four,**

Topher and James had been in D.C. for about two weeks. Bennett had eventually had to let James do a couple imprints, even though she didn't really want to. Topher got along well with the child, all though he seemed to have a bit of a problem with being needed less, but he didn't mind too much, because he was enjoying being with Bennett, and even enjoying hanging out with James. Although he couldn't stand the Quinn guy.

He was constantly calling Ivy to make sure she was handling everything alright, she would assure them that she was fine, and threaten to block his number.

One day, Bennett was busy at work, wondering what on earth James and Topher were up to this time, when she heard a soft whimper from the doorway. She turned around, and found James standing there with tears on his face, and the right side of his face bright ride, and starting to bruise.

"James!" Bennett said, rushing to his side and kneeling to the ground, "James, dear, what happened?" She asked gently. She lead him over to the couch and had him sit down, while she got an ice pack to place on his cheek.

"What happened, James?" She asked again, angry at whoever did this to him.

"I..." He said quietly, "I was walking, and I heard two men talking to each other, and they were saying nasty things...Mean, nasty things about you, and I told them they were big fat meanies and were bad evil men, and then one of them...He hit me very hard." James said quietly. Bennett could tell that the little boy was trying very hard to act tough, but he was in a lot of pain, and tears were sliding down his cheeks.

Despite the fact he'd only been at the house a couple of weeks, Bennett had a very motherly feeling for the child, she could related to him in his genius, and pity him in his loss of his parents. She felt it was her duty to take care of him.

She kissed James gently on the cheek, in a rather motherly way, that surprised even her, then she said gently. "James, do you know the name of the man who hit you?" She asked him, firmly.

"He was that big mean handler who won't ever leave you alone." James said, sniffling.

Bennett was suddenly filled with rage. "You stay right here, okay?" She told James, gently.

He nodded.

It didn't take Bennett very long to find Quinn, she was in a rage. "Why did you hit that boy?!" She confronted him, as soon as she found him.

Quinn looked around, surprised. "Oh...Oops." He said, with a small grin. "He's really a nasty little thing, you know."

"Oh, I doubt he's the nasty one, Quinn." She practically hissed.

"It's cute how protective you are over that kid, Ben. Real cute. I mean it." Quinn said, taking a step closer to her.

"You are truly disgusting, do you know that?" She said, glaring at him, slapping him hard across the face with her one good hand.

Quinn glared at her, "You don't want me to make that arm bad too, do you?" He threatened, angrily.

Topher cleared his throat from behind Quinn, "What did you just say to her?" He said, glaring at him. Though he heard him perfectly well.

Quinn turned to glare at Topher. "What do you want, nerd?"

"Nerd? Is that all you've got?" Topher asked, glaring at him. Before punching him in the face. "Maybe I'm proud to be a nerd. It's better then being a creep who threatens girls."

"You hit her." Quinn said, with venom in his voice. Punching Topher in the stomach. "You don't get to judge anyone."

In an instant, Topher and Quinn were throwing punch after punch at each other. It was quite clear Topher was losing, but he wasn't giving up either.

"Stop!" Bennett said, but she didn't think they heard her. "Both of you stop it!" Bennett yelled, mostly because she knew Topher was going to be hurting all over by the next day if he kept trying to take on Quinn.

She was surprised when they actually listened to her.

Topher glared at Quinn and limped to Bennett's side, putting one arm around her he said, "I just wanted him to leave you alone."

"Thank you." Bennett said, giving him a soft smile, and giving him a quick kiss. Then she turned to glare at Quinn. "Stay away from that child." She warned, angrily. "And your about to be reported, by the way."

Then she turned to walk with Topher again. "Let's go get you some ice." She said, gently.

**A While Later,**

Quinn spoke softly into his phone. "She hates me, so that plans gone. But I believe we have two things she's very attatched too, that we'll be able to use against her. And if all that doesn't work. We'll get Mr. Brink to solve our problems. How you ask? Have you no faith?" Quinn grinned to himself. "If she doesn't cooperate, then we take her, and use her against Brink. Got it? It will work. I promise."

**Author's Note: So I know that all of the chapters have been really short, but I hope that one was at least a little more interesting... :) Also, I hope no one was too out of character... Please review!**


	5. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: Once more, Dollhouse is NOT mine.**

**Chapter Five, **

"You've made it to Los Angeles, I guess?" Quinn asked into the phone, a few days later.

"Yes, sir."

"Good, I expect to be hearing back from you shortly." Quinn hung up.

**Meanwhile,**

Topher was still sporting a black eye, and limping a bit. While Quinn looked completely unhurt. It was annoying. He wanted to do some serious damage to the man who had hit James, and threatened Bennett.

He held an ice pack over his eye. Still very sore. Suddenly his phone rang. "This is Topher, what's up?" He asked when he picked it up, too sore to think of anything clever to say.

"Topher, it's me." Adelle spoke into the phone, she sounded stressed.

"Oh. Um. Yes?" Topher asked worriedly, her tone of voice didn't sound very promising.

"We need you to report back immediately, I can't give you any details over the phone, but your flight leaves in an hour." She told him.

"An hour--What? But I..I can't!" He argued.

"An hour, Topher, it's an emergency." Adelle insisted.

"Right. I'll pack." Topher said, sadly. Hanging up the phone. He stood there for a moment, staring at the phone. Feeling frustration at not knowing what had happened, and sadness at having to leave.

**Los Angeles,**

Adelle hung up the phone, with a heavy sigh. She didn't move other then that though, "I hope your pleased with yourself." She said, in a grave and angry voice.

"Very pleased, actually." Said the man who was standing behind her, holding a gun against her head.

"I swear, if you hurt that boy..." Adelle said, through clenched teeth.

"Don't worry, we just want your programmer out of our house." The man said, putting the gun down.

**Washington D.C.**

"You're...You're leaving?" Bennett asked him, as she watched him hurriedly stuff everything he'd brought with him back into a suitcase.

He looked up at her, "Yeah..." He said, sadly. "I guess there's some emergency back home. My flight leaves in..." He looked at his watch, "Fifty minutes. I'm sorry, Bennett."

"No, I understand." She said, calmly. Refusing to show any emotion. "I'll go find James, so you can say goodbye." She said, hurrying away.

He watched her go, sadly.

Moment's later, she returned with James, who rushed forward and gave Topher a hug. "Bye, buddy! Come back soon!"

Topher ruffled the little boy's hair. "Will do, little man."

Topher turned to look at Bennett, "I'll see you soon, I guess." He said, disappointed that his visit had to be cut short.

"Call me when you get to LA?" She asked, smiling. It had been the same thing he'd asked her when she'd left for D.C.

"You know I will." He said, smiling at her. Before he pulled her into a hug.

"Whatever is going on back there, you stay safe, okay?" Bennett asked him, kissing his cheek.

Less then an hour later, Topher was on his five hour flight back to L.A. feeling thoroughly depressed, and worried about whatever was going on in LA.

**Washington D.C. Two hours later,**

"James, can you bring me that imprint wedge, please?" Bennett called to the little boy.

"Yeah..." He said, slowly walking over to Bennett and handing it to her. "I miss Topher." He said, sadly.

"I know, I do too, James. He'll come visit again soon, don't worry--" Bennett was cut off in the middle of her sentence as all the lights went out. Bennett froze, this didn't really happen in her house. So what was going on? "James...Sit down right here, okay? And stay here."

"I'm not afraid of the dark!" He announced, proudly.

"That's good, but I need you to sit right here, can you do that please?" Bennett asked him, her voice serious.

"Okay." The little boy answered.

Bennett felt her way over to where the emergency generators control panel was. It should have come on automatically, but it hadn't. She flicked the switch to turn it on manually, but nothing happened. She suddenly had a very bad feeling about whatever was going on.

"James, stay right there, okay?" Bennett instructed, as she stumbled over to the lab doors.

"Is something bad happening?" James asked, sounding a little bit afraid.

"I don't know, James, but don't worry, okay? I'm gonna make sure everything is alright."

As Bennett was taking one step out the door, someone grabbed her and put something over her head. She screamed, and then everything went black.

**Author's Note: Okay. I'm a jerk to end it like that, and I'm sorry to say that the next chapter is gonna be even worse...But in an exciting sort of way! Anyway, reviews are loved!**


	6. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dollhouse. I don't own the song in this chapter. It's 'The End' by Laura Jansen.**

Author's Note: Don't hate me when you read this. Remember I love you people! Reviews are loved, too.  
  
**Chapter Six, **

When Topher called Bennett after arriving in LA, he was surprised when no one answered the phone. He figured he'd try back again in a couple minutes.

He arrived at the dollhouse soon after leaving the air port, and immediately went to Adelle's office. "What's the emergency?" He asked her, hurriedly.

She took a sip out of the glass she was holding, and poured one for Topher. "Sit down, " She instructed, and he did so.

"What's going on?" Topher asked, confused. Everything at least appeared normal.

"There is no emergency, at least not anymore." Adelle told him, simply.

"Excuse me?" He asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

Adelle explained to Topher everything that had happened. Once she had finished, Topher was staring at her with his jaw dropped.

"So you mean...Someone wanted to start trouble in D.C. and they wanted me gone first?! And you didn't tell me?!" Topher asked, angry.

"How should I have, Topher? There was a gun to my head, I didn't really want my brain splattered across the carpet." She said, scornfully.

"So someone's gonna hurt Bennett, and you just called me up and said 'Hey Topher! Ready to come home' ?" He asked, freaking out a bit.

"No one said they were going to hurt Miss Halverson, Topher." Adelle said, sighing as she took another sip from her glass.

Topher didn't answer, instead he jumped to his feet and dialed Bennett's number on his phone, pacing back and forth. "Come on, pick up!" He spoke into the phone, frustrated. No answer.

He sighed. "I'm going back."

"Now, Topher, let's talk about this--"

"I'm going back!" He didn't wait for her to finish.

"Fine, take a doll with you, we don't want our best programmer killed. But theres one more thing."

"What?" Topher asked, impatiently.

"I want you to take Echo."

Topher stared at her, that wasn't a good idea. Bennett hated Echo, and there would be problems. But right now, he didn't want to take any time to argue. It would already be another five hours before he got back to D.C.

**Somewhere in Washington D.C.**

The next thing Bennett knew, she was tied up in a large open room, that was dark with only a few small lights here and there. Looking around she noticed that there was technological equipment all over the room, every part that she could see. There was even an imprint chair, but she was certain they weren't in the dollhouse any longer.

There was a group of people standing at the entrance of the room, speaking in hushed voices to each other. Though she couldn't make out who they were, due to the darkness of the room.

She heard quiet sobs from nearby, and looked around to see James tied up near by, she wished she could help him. But what could she do? "It'll be alright." She whispered to the small child.

Suddenly the group of people looked around and a couple of them walked towards her. She recognized them as soon as they were in the light.

One of them was, not surprisingly, David Quinn. The other was Alison Davison, another one of their handlers. Once she realized who these two were, it wasn't hard to guess that the others in the group were all of the other D.C. handlers, there was about the right amount of them.

"Morning, sunshine." Alison said, with a satisfied smirk on her face.

Bennett shivered slightly, "What do you want?" She asked them, angry.

Quinn knelt down in front of her, while he motioned to Alison.

Alison pulled out a gun and stepped towards James.

"Don't!" Bennett cried out, and Quinn and Alison grinned at each other.

"That's what we were hoping you'd say, Ben." Quinn said, with a smirk. "You see, if you do what we ask, then we won't have to hurt the adorable little genius."

"You're a monster! How could you threaten a child?" She spat at him.

"You think I'm a monster? No, you'll be the monster. By not helping us, _you'd _be killing the little boy." Quinn said, with coldness in his voice.

"Wh-What do you want?" Bennett asked, trembling.

"We're making ourselves a little army, Ben. We've got the people, now we just need the skills. When we have them, we can take anything we want. No one will face us. It's beautiful, love."

"You're so disgusting. You're just gonna go around killing people, so you can have anything you want?" She asked, trying to hide her fear.

"Are you going to help us?" Quinn asked her, his voice kept even.

"Untie me first." Bennett said, through clenched teeth.

Quinn motioned for one of the other handlers to untie her, and she got to her feet.

Bennett took a step toward Quinn. "You want me to imprint you with skills, so you can kill anyone you want?" She asked, softly.

"Essentially."

"Then how do you know you won't kill James anyway?" Bennett asked, fear coursing through her, but trying not to let it show.

"I guess you sort of have to trust us.' Quinn said, his voice steady, but his eyes full of hatred.

"Give me time to think," Bennett said, she was near tears with fear for the child. But she couldn't help these people. That would be trading hundreds of lives for one. But she couldn't decide, she shouldn't have to decide who lives and who dies. It wasn't fair.

"No." Quinn motioned to the person holding the gun to James. There was the sound of a gun cocking.

"Just give me time to think!" Bennett raised her voice in panic.

"_NO_!" Quinn repeated, his voice loud and angry this time.

Just as Bennett yelled "Fine! I'll help you!" there was the sound of a gun firing loudly.

Everything was frozen.

_We had a go  
And worked it out  
Until the bitter end_

Bennett cried out loudly, as she watched the small boy fall to the ground. Lying in a puddle of blood. "I agreed! I agreed!" She screamed, repeatedly hitting Quinn with all the strength in her only good arm.

"I didn't give you the order to kill him!" Quinn shouted, rounding on Alison. "She was agreeing!"

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean--" But Alison stopped short of her sentence. As she stared with horror at the child on the ground. She'd been ready to do it, but now that she had, she felt sick and ghastly. She felt like a monster. This wasn't her. What was she doing? She couldn't breathe.  
_  
And I suppose  
I should've known  
What was waiting 'round the bend_,

"I won't help you." Bennett whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks. She felt sick as she fell to the ground beside James.

"Then you'll have to die too. It's a shame." Quinn said gravely.

There weren't words to describe how much Bennett Halverson hated David Quinn.

There weren't words for how much every handler in that room, except David, hated themselves.  
_  
I didn't know that kindness was fleeting  
I didn't know that soft could go hard_

"Not yet, though. You don't have to die yet.' Quinn told her, venom in his voice. "I'll give you time with the boy." What might have been mistaken as an act of kindness, was an act of cruelty. Quinn would stretch out Bennett's torture for as long as he possibly could.

He looked at the other handlers. "Let's go. We'll come back in an hour or so."

"No.." One of them spoke up. "We're leaving. We're not going to be part of your sick crew anymore Quinn. We don't kill children."

The others nodded. Quinn couldn't stop all of them. That was for sure.

Quinn was furious, but all he said was. "Fine. Your with me, Alison?"

"Never. You made me a monster, David Quinn. And I"m going to pray that some programmer is merciful enough to make me forget this day." Alison said, throwing the gun to her feet and following the others out the door.

_I bet you wonder at the words in your mouth  
I bet you wonder at the sound_

David glared at them as they walked out the door.

Then, in his anger, he turned to Bennett. He was ready to kill her.

She closed her eyes, ready to die.

_We break the promise  
And we take it back  
We move in silence  
This is the end, the end, the end_,

"Ready to die, Ben?" Quinn asked her, venomously.

"I'm not quite sure she is." Came a female voice from the doorway. It was Echo, standing with Topher.

Echo jumped at Quinn, attacking him and knocking the gun out of his hands.

As Quinn and Echo fought, Topher ran over to Bennett's side and collapsed on the ground next to her. "Bennett--" He was relieved to see Bennett alright, horrified to see James dead.

_We try, we fail, we crawl  
We let the pieces fall where they may  
And the picture fades_

"Be-Bennett." Topher said, in a choked voice, after a short pause. "We need to get you out of here, come on." He said, trying to help her to her feet, but she wouldn't come.

"N-no! No! No...No...No..._No_!" Bennett sounded broken, as she shrugged away from Topher. "Wake up, James, wake up!" The look in Bennett's eyes gave Topher the impression that she wasn't really there. Not really in that room with him at that moment. Like he'd lost her.

"Bennett," Topher said gently. "He-He can't wake up, he would want you to be safe, come on, Bennett. We have to go." He said, trying to help her up again. Seeing James like this made Topher want to collapse on the ground like Bennett, it made him want to do exactly what she was doing now. But he couldn't. He had to be strong. He had to be strong for Bennett.

Bennett refused to get to her feet.

Meanwhile, Echo and Quinn fighting had nearly stopped. Echo had Quinn basically down. Topher felt a little safer now, but not completely safe.  
_  
So go on and break my heart  
It's always been caught off guard  
In the end, there is nothing left to say_

"I can't leave...Must...Must stay. Die here if I have to. Die here. Just die here!" Bennett said to Topher eargently. He hoped he could snap her out of this horror she was in, but he knew the only way there was any hope of helping her was if they left here.

"Bennett, we need to get out of here, come on!" Topher continued to try and convince Bennett to let him help her to her feet.

Suddenly a loud shot rung in the air.

_And the secrets you keep under your tongue  
Are turning two into no one_,

Quinn had reached out his arm, unnoticed by Echo, grabbed a gun, and shot Bennett in the stomach. Shortly after, Echo had killed him.

"Good..." Bennett whispered, Topher was holding her. Trying to help her. Blood from James nearby, and from her own wound stained her white sweater. "Good...Death will be good...Let it come..Let...let it come." Bennett closed her eyes. A small, almost contented, smile krept up Bennett's face.

"No! Stop it Bennett! You're not dying. Not today." Topher said loudly, trying to keep Bennett with him. "It's time to get out of here Echo!" He called eargently.

"Take her to the van, put pressure on the wound. I've got a doctor in here somewhere, I'll be right behind you." Echo instructed Topher, keeping her voice firm and collected, for his sake.

He nodded and picked Bennett up off the ground, hurrying as fast as he could back to the van.  
_  
I bet you wonder at the words in your mouth  
I bet you wonder at the sound_

"Is she going to be okay?" Topher trembled as he watched Echo treating Bennett's wound.

Echo looked up and gave him a gentle smile. "She should be fine."

They'd gotten back to the dollhouse, so they had a proper place to treat Bennett's wound.

"I'm going to go call someone...To..To get James, he deserves a burial." Topher said quietly. Now that they'd gotten back, it had all hit him very hard, and he was having a hard time holding himself together.

_We break the promise  
And we take it back  
We move in silence  
This is the end, the end, the end  
This is the end, the end, the end_

"Mr. Brink, how's my programmer?" Mr. Lipmen asked him, it was a couple of days later, and he'd asked Topher to come speak to him.

"She's doing fine, she needs a lot of rest. So she's resting." Topher said, his voice quiet. He wasn't himself anymore. How could he be?

"Good." Mr. Lipmen said, he motioned to the door and Adelle entered.

"What are you doing here?" Topher asked, surprised.

"I came to escort you home." Adelle said, sitting down. "You and Miss Halverson."

"Wh-What?" Topher was very confused.

"As you know," Mr. Lipmen said, his voice serious. "All of our handlers have...Proven themselves untrustworthy. So we're shutting this house down."

"You're shutting down a house in such a large area?" Topher asked them, trying to understand all of this.

"There's another house in New York. Anyone really desperate can go there. However, since we're shutting down, we're sending all of our actives to the L.A. house. Which means you'll also need another programmer." Mr. Lipmen explained.

"A new lab is being built for Miss Halverson right now, and all the equipment is being moved over as well." Adelle added. "As soon as Miss Halverson can travel, we'll head back."

"What about Echo?"

"Miss Halverson proved herself capable of behaving around Echo during her last visit. Besides, didn't she save her life?"

"Yeah, I guess." Topher agreed. It would be good to have Bennett with him in L.A. but at that moment, nothing really felt like good news. A child had died, and Bennett had been shot. And she aparently had no will to live. The world didn't seem like a very good place, just then.  
_  
The plane falls,  
and it goes on and on in circles, spinning round  
Let it go, let it go  
I can't take it with me, can't take it with you_

Topher went to go sit with Bennett. He still felt he had to be strong for her. He was sure this lapse she was in wasn't permanent, and he'd help her through it if he could. But the truth was, Topher was as broken as she was. He was hurting, he was breaking. His world seemed to be falling apart.

But he had to be strong for Bennett.

Soon, he would head home and things, he hoped, would go back to normal.

He was eager for that.  
_  
We break the promise  
And we take it back  
We move in silence  
This is the end, the end, the end_

_This is the end, the end, the end  
This is the end, the end, the end  
This is the end, the end, the end  
This is the end, the end, the end..._

**Author's Note: This is NOT, however, the end of our fanfiction. Another chapter is to come soon! I'm sorry, I hated writing this one. It made me sad. Please don't hate me. And please review! Stay tuned for the next chapter.**


	7. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer: I don't own Dollhouse.**

Author's Note: So, if your still reading this after my little, um, surprise..Last chapter...Then your like my favorite person. Love you guys for reading this! Please review.  
  
**Chapter Seven, **

"She saved your life, you know?" Topher told Bennett quietly, after she'd made some remark or other about Echo.

"Sometimes I wish she hadn't." Bennett said softly, staring out the window of the long, black limo they were driving in. She was wearing a black sweater and a black skirt. She looked absolutely miserable.

"Bennett..." Topher's voice was sad and hurt and scared. He was scared for his friend, for the girl he loved. She hadn't been the same since what had happened to James. "Don't say that, please?" He pleaded.

"Do you want me to lie, Topher? I'm perfectly happy, everything's great!" She said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. She looked out the window again. It was a sunny day, the sky was blue and there wasn't a cloud in sight. It didn't fit the mood of everyone on their way to the funeral.

They'd arrived back in L.A. that day, they decided since they were moving there it would be the best place to bury James. They had been the closest thing to a family he had had.

Topher didn't say another word. He hated seeing Bennett this way, but what could he possibly do to help? There was nothing, he was sure.

After a very long silence, Topher ventured to say, "I just miss you, you're not even Bennett anymore."

"Sorry, Topher, but that Bennett died with the little boy, why don't we make it a double funeral?" She said, her words were ice. She really _wasn't_ her anymore.

Every single word she spoke cut into Topher like glass. He trembled slightly, and looked out the window. He didn't dare say anything else, because he was afraid of the reply he would receive.

What seemed like an eternity later, the limo stopped at the cemetery. Topher stepped out of the limo, feeling almost relieved to be out of a closed space with just him and Bennett. He loved her, but every moment in that limo just hurt them both. They were falling apart. Topher offered his hand to help Bennett out of the car, but she didn't accept it. He pretended to be unaffected by this act of coldness.

It was nothing more then a tiny graveside service, thought James was a child that deserved something so much grander then that. The only people there were Topher, Bennett, a couple of people from the Dollhouse, including Adelle, Boyd, Miriam, Ivy and Paul. Most of whom hadn't even known James, but had come just to show Bennett and Topher their support. Echo would have come, but they'd all decided it wasn't the best idea, considering the state Bennett was in. The only other people who were there that weren't part of the Dollhouse were a couple of people from James' old orphanage.

The service was short, and the few people who had come were eager to hurry away. The people from the orphanage disappeared the first, and the others from the Dollhouse decided it was best to give the people who had known James a little space.

Slowly, Boyd, Miriam, Ivy and Paul all got into another limo. Adelle paused on her way to join them to give Topher a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. He appreciated it.

She then followed the others to the limo.

Topher was left standing with Bennett for a moment, before she said to him, "Why don't you just go? I don't need you to stay here." Her voice was as if she was commanding him to leave her, and he turned to go, but then he paused and thought for a moment.

"No." He said, stopping and returning to her side.

"What?" She asked, surprised and frustrated.

"I cared about James too, okay? I cared! And I care about you! And all your doing is pushing me away. If you hate me so much, then you don't have to stay. I can handle the dolls myself. But stop treating me like this Bennett, because I'm hurting too! But for once, I'm trying to be the grown up -which is hard for me!- because I feel like I need to be strong for you! So stop freaking out at me all the time, stop pushing me away when I help you! If you really don't want me around, then you can just leave!"

"Maybe I will leave!" She said, glaring at Topher.

The moment of bravery was gone. "No-No. Please don't...Bennett please--" He broke off when he saw a woman standing a couple of yards away. She was clothed in black. Topher didn't recognize her.

Bennett did recognize her, however. It was Alison. Bennett was ready to rush forward and attack the woman, but Topher grabbed her arm as gently as he could and pulled her back.

"She killed him!" She screamed, angry.

"I only meant to...Meant to come to...To say I'm sorry...To pay my respects." Alison said, quickly and nervously. Her voice full of pain.

Topher continued to hold back the struggling Bennett. "You killed him! Let go of me, Topher! She killed him! Let me go!" Bennett cried out, her complete agony was evident.

Only when Alison was out of sight did Topher let go of Bennett.

The glare she gave him stung like salt on an open wound. She spun around and hurried toward the only limo left, that was waiting on them. He followed her more slowly. Glancing behind him one last time at the grave of the small child.

**Author's Note: I know that was a short, depressing chapter. But I promise you that it will start getting better. We just need to give poor Bennett some time to deal with her grief. Thanks for reading guys! I love it when you review!**


	8. Chapter Eight

**Author's Note: Hope you don't hate me for the delay. Lost my inspiration for a while after the show ended.**  
**  
Disclaimer: Don't own Dollhouse. Still.**

**Chapter Eight,**

All of the dolls rested peacefully in their pods. The lights in all the main rooms of the Dollhouse had been turned off, and the only two people who seemed to be there were the houses two programmers. Though their voices didn't break through the thick silence.

Bennett sat in her own room, that had been given her when she'd agreed to join the L.A. Dollhouse a couple weeks earlier. They would have given her another lab, but it was quite unnecessary, considering she and Topher got along quite nicely sharing his own lab. Or they would have, if Bennett would ever speak.

She was still too lost in grief about poor little James, who, strangely, had become something of a son to her. Though it had not been so for long.

Topher sat in the lab that they now shared, but he was the only one in that room. He hated the quietness of the Dollhouse at night. He hated the dark.

He'd turned on every light in his own lab to combat the darkness.

He'd done this often since they'd returned from D.C. He'd get up and turn on all the lights and drink a juice box in an attempt to comfort himself.

Of course, the light helped, but the juice box rarely did. Despite being sort of a comfort thing. It was better then drowning his sorrows in alcohol, like his boss, wasn't it?

The truth was, he didn't really care. He just wanted a distraction. He wanted to think of silly things, like pretend he was superior to Adelle by being a juice box-aholic, instead of an alcoholic.

He thought of these silly things, so that he wouldn't point out to himself how much what he did made him very near scum in some peoples eyes.

But he helped people. He did good things. Right?

All of this were things he struggled with daily, and the added pain of seeing a dear child die, and the pain of being in love with a girl who was hurting, and who was pushing him away, all of it made him sick with pain, with hurt, with fear, with every bad feeling.

Suddenly the door opened, and he was surprised to see Bennett enter.

"Bennett!" He said, glad to see her, he jumped to his feet.

"Topher," She said, softly. Letting him hug her and hold her close. "I love you. I do. I'm sorry. I was just falling apart."

"We all do, Bennett, I love you too."

**Epilogue,**

Topher Brink married Bennett Halverson two years later. They always missed little James, and the event of his death had been horrifying. But they got through it, together. They strengthened the weaknesses in each other. They needed each other.

They continued to work for the Dollhouse. How could they _not_? It had become their home, there was nowhere else.

They had their first child, a year after they were married. A beautiful baby girl named Caroline Bennett Brink. Because, after extensive theropy, Bennett Halverson actually became thankful that Echo had saved her. Thankful, surprisingly, enough to forget about the past.

They had another child, two years later. A boy, Christopher --Though, he was just 'Chris' and not 'Topher' to avoid confusion- Samuel Brink.

Despite the pain of all they had been through, despite what they had continued to go through, their marriage was a happy one. And it continued to be so all of the days of their lives.

**Author's Note: Okay. I know. I know. It was rushed, and I didn't like the way it ended, but I couldn't give you anything better...After my long seperation from Dollhouse...I apologize. I hope you don't hate it as much as I did...Ehh. It's **_**really**_** bad when you hate something you write. Anyway, reviews are loved!**


End file.
